| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard? | 1Isn't wisdom calling out; isn't understanding raising her voice? |
| 2At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand. | 2On top of the highest places along the road she stands where the roads meet. |
| 3Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:" | 3Beside the gates, at the city entrance— at the entrance to the portals she cries aloud: |
| 4People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind. | 4"I'm calling to you, men! What I have to say pertains to all mankind! |
| 5Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish. | 5Understand prudence, you naïve people; and gain an understanding heart, you foolish ones. |
| 6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right. | 6Listen, because I have noble things to say, and what I have to say will reveal what is right. |
| 7For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. | 7For my mouth speaks the truth— wickedness is detestable to me. |
| 8All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse. | 8Everything I have to say is just; there isn't anything corrupt or perverse in my speech. |
| 9All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge. | 9Everything I say is sensible to someone who understands, and correct to those who have acquired knowledge. |
| 10Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. | 10Grab hold of my instruction in lieu of money and knowledge instead of the finest gold, |
| 11For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it. | 11because wisdom is better than precious gems and nothing you desire can compare to it." |
| 12I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion. | 12"I, wisdom, am related to prudence. I know how to be discreet. |
| 13To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. | 13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle, and perverted speech I despise. |
| 14I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength. | 14Counsel belongs to me, along with sound judgment. I am understanding. Power belongs to me. |
| 15It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law; | 15Kings reign by me, and rulers dispense justice through me. |
| 16by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges. | 16By me leaders rule, as do noble officials and all who govern justly. |
| 17I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me. | 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me. |
| 18With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness. | 18Wealth and honor accompany me, as do enduring wealth and righteousness. |
| 19My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver. | 19My fruit is better than gold, better than even refined gold, and my benefit surpasses the purest silver. |
| 20I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, | 20I walk on the way of righteousness, along paths that are just, |
| 21giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries." | 21I bequeath wealth to those who love me, and I will fill their treasuries." |
| 22The LORD made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago. | 22"The LORD made me as he began his planning, before his ancient activity commenced. |
| 23I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began. | 23From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before there was land. |
| 24I was born when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water. | 24When there were no ocean depths, I brought them to birth at a time when there were no springs. |
| 25I was delivered before the mountains and hills were established, | 25Before the mountains were shaped, before there were hills, I was bringing them to birth. |
| 26before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth. | 26Even though he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the world's first grains of dust, |
| 27I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean, | 27when he crafted the heavens, I was there— when he marked out a circle on the face of the deep, |
| 28when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out, | 28when he made the clouds from above, when the springs of the depths were established, |
| 29when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth. | 29when he set a boundary for the sea so the waters would not exceed his limits, when he marked out the foundations of the earth. |
| 30I was a skilled craftsman beside Him. I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him. | 30Then I was with him, his master craftsman— I was his delight daily, continuously rejoicing in his presence, |
| 31I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race." | 31rejoicing in his inhabitable world and taking delight in mankind." |
| 32And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy. | 32"So listen to me, children! Blessed are those who obey me. |
| 33Listen to instruction and be wise; don't ignore it. | 33Listen to instruction and be wise. Don't ignore it. |
| 34Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway. | 34Blessed is the person who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorways— |
| 35For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, | 35because those who find me find life and gain favor from the LORD. |
| 36but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death." | 36But whoever sins against me destroys himself; everyone who hates me loves death." |
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